“We strive to bring what our organization does best — developing character and leadership for young people — to as many families and youth as possible as we help shape the next generation of leaders,” said Michael Surbaugh, the group’s chief scout executive.

Starting next year, girls will be allowed into the Cub Scout program, which had been limited to boys either in the first through fifth grades or between the ages of 7 and 10. A separate program for older girls will be announced next year and is expected to be available in 2019.

Who saw this coming?

WELL, THE GIRL SCOUTS SAW THIS COMING IN AUGUST AND THEY WERE NOT HAPPY!

Around the time of World War I, two organizations set out to mold young Americans into resourceful and virtuous future leaders, instilling in them the admirable traits of citizenship, loyalty and courage. Members of both groups wore uniforms, explored the wilderness and swore to uphold their values.

There was one major difference: The Boy Scouts admitted young men, and the Girl Scouts let in young women — a fundamental distinction still largely true a century later.

But in a blistering letter this week, the president of Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. accused Boy Scouts of America of trying to undercut the organization through a “covert campaign to recruit girls.” The letter became public on Tuesday, laying bare an exceptional and surprising fissure in what had been an amicable relationship between two ubiquitous organizations.

“I formally request that your organization stay focused on serving the 90 percent of American boys not currently participating in Boy Scouts,” Kathy Hopinkah Hannan, the president of the Girl Scouts, wrote to her counterpart, Randall Stephenson of the Boy Scouts.

Ms. Hopinkah Hannan added, “It is therefore unsettling that B.S.A. would seek to upend a paradigm that has served both boys and girls so well through the years.”

The letter, which BuzzFeed reported about on Tuesday, came after a tense phone conversation last week between executives of both organizations, including Mr. Stephenson and Ms. Hopinkah Hannan, about possible substantial changes at the Boy Scouts. Since last spring, the Boy Scouts have sought input from their members and 270 councils nationwide about how the organization could serve more girls.

The Boy Scouts also recently ruled to allow transgender kids into their group and now this…

PLAN ANNOUNCED TODAY – GIRLS ALLOWED!

The Boy Scouts of America announced plans on Wednesday to accept girls, marking a historic shift for the century-old organization.

The group cited the desire to nurture female leaders as reasons for the decision, pitting it against the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., which operates under a similar mission.

“We strive to bring what our organization does best — developing character and leadership for young people — to as many families and youth as possible as we help shape the next generation of leaders,” said Michael Surbaugh, the group’s chief scout executive.

Starting next year, girls will be allowed into the Cub Scout program, which had been limited to boys either in the first through fifth grades or between the ages of 7 and 10. A separate program for older girls will be announced next year and is expected to be available in 2019.
Read more: NYT